Tragedy of War, Promise of Reunion
by Your Sorceress Knight
Summary: It is the spring of 1914 and the world seems to be on edge. War draws ever closer to Europe. This is just another issue to add on to Victor "Guertena" Brauner's plate as he struggles to raise his daughters Marilyn and Evelyn, especially with the recent death of his wife, Lenore. Enter the tale of the great vampire painter and live life through his eyes, through both Great Wars.
1. Origin of Dracula

Tragedy of War, Promise of Reunion

Long ago, in the year 1062, Mathias Cronqvist was born. He was no ordinary human. Even as a child, he displayed extraordinary intelligence and tactical skills. Chess was his favorite game. Mathias often beat adults much older than him. He felt different than the children his age, even from his family. His parents were well-educated alchemists, having devoted their entire lives to study the art that dated back to the Ancient Greeks. Using their alchemy skills, they devised a clever method to transmutate "copper to gold" and became renowned for their discovery, a classic rags to riches story. Mathias' family grew wealthy, and they endowed their son with all their knowledge. However, Mathias couldn't see the merit to the techniques. He didn't need any more money or to know how to make plastic or any other of the skills imparted to him. He also didn't want to be known as "The Son of the Wealthy Alchemists." Mathias wanted to make a name of his own. In war.

At the age of 16, he ran away from home and joined a band of knights headed by the young Baron Leon Belmont. With their combined intellect and swordplay, they were unconquerable. Mathias and Leon, the Hannibals and Great Alexanders of their time. Together, they slayed beasts and anything that stood in the way of conquest. With warfare came its spoils. Gold, and women. Eventually, Mathias fell into the inevitable: love. He was smitten by a pretty woman, Elisabetha. He cared for her deeply and cherished her with all his heart. Soon, they were wed and even expected a child. However, like love is eternal, so is war. It was time for Mathias to take up his blade and defend his land and his people from heathens to the East. He whispered a goodbye to his wife and went off to war.

For 5 long years, Mathias and Leon fought. Even with all their skill and cunning, the enemy was simply too powerful. The enemy outnumbered Mathias and Leon's company 3 to 1. However, numbers weren't enough to take down the duo, and over time their numbers dwindled. Through ambush in the night and swift retreat, Mathias and Leon picked them off one by one. When Leon dealt the finishing blow to the leader, they captured the rest of them. The war was over and they had expanded their territory. Mathias came home tired and overwhelmed. But he was also excited and joyful. He was to see his wife and quite possibly his young child. He opened the door to his home and called out to Elisabeth.

There was no answer. He listened to the silence. Where was the laughter, he wondered. The happiness, the love, the kiss upon his lips he dreamt of for a thousand nights. There was only sorrow in the silence. Mathias ran into town and searched frantically. Only when he came upon a young priest did he learn what happened to his beloved.

She was dead. A crippling illness had struck her days after her husband had left for war. She always felt cold and could not feel her legs and they shook every time she tried to stand up. She was to be confined to bed for the rest of her life. The town's best doctor could do nothing for her. Stricken with grief, she lay in bed for days, wondering when her love would return. She and her unborn died within days, dead of heartbreak, of loneliness, of despair.

Mathias was speechless. He silently walked home and lay in his bed where Elisabetha last was before her death. He cried, wept, mourned for her. With all his glory, his fidelity, his unwavering love, he had lost everything. Leon worried for him. His greatest military mind was in pieces, but he allowed him to mourn for his loved one. Mathias slowly turned his hatred from himself to God. It was Him! It was He who condemned my wife to her doom! Who else could have done this?! The Devil?! God was supposed to be greater than all things, yet he could not spare my young, my innocent wife from death?! For all my life, I have fought in your name... And this is how you repay me? How could you?! She was pure of heart, sweeter than margarine and innocent as a newborn! I have pledged my faith to you for many years, never betraying you!

But now, it was over. Mathias renounced his faith, his love for God. He became a man hell-bent on vengeance. His ultimate goal was to defy God's law, to defy death. He would search all of Europe, and further if he needed to, for immortality. Mathias returned to join Leon's knights and secretly sought his eternal life with every campaign they embarked on. Throughout his travels, he heard of a powerful artifact said to have been forged in Hell itself. It was the Crimson Stone. A ruby red diamond, treasured among the accursed, the vampires. Many have searched for it, all have failed. Mathias was one of them. For 7 long years, he looked fruitlessly for it. During a campaign in the seventh year, he and his men fell to an onslaught of vampires. It was a moonlit night, dark clouds formed ominous signs. The knights fought hard, but were ultimately slaughtered by the blood-sucking demons. Mathias looked around at the battlefield. His valiant knights were slayed, their blood being siphoned from their bodies by the unholy abominations.

He cast aside his sword and sank to his knees. This is the end, he thought. My quest for everlasting life, slipping away before my eyes. He was surrounded by 1,000 vampires, all seeking to claim his body, the great Mathias Cronqvist. He lifted his sullen head, exposing his neck. The vampires went into a frenzy, their black eyes widened and their fangs elongated. The leader of the vampire army roared and lunged forward to take his prey. Mathias stared into the gaping jaws of his enemy. Then time seemed to slow. What was happening, he thought as he got up. Then he grew angry. It was God! He was interfering, trying to win me back to his side. I refuse to let him save me. Mathias stood still. He was indignant, he would die at the fangs of a vampire.

Then he saw it. Glistening in the back of the airborne demon's throat, it shone a bright red. The Crimson Stone. Mathias smiled. It wasn't God who was assisting him. It was Satan, Lucifer, the fallen angel who had rose in defiance to God. It was he who found ultimate power and wielded the great power of evil. It was the Devil. Mathias ran to meet the vampire and pierced the back of its throat with his arm. He clutched the gemstone and pulled out. It was his. The Crimson Stone was his to use. Mathias looked to the sky. All the clouds in the sky swirled together to form a massive congregation. Then he saw his face. The Devil's face, in its great glory. It smiled a wicked smile, an omen of congratulations to the defector.

The sky glowed red. Time went back to its regular speed. The commander of the vampires fell to the ground, his clawed hands reaching desperately for where his throat should have been. The rest of his company was confused as to what just transpired. Their leader was on the floor, dying while a knight had a ruby stone in his raised fist. The Crimson Stone was cool in his hands. Suddenly, it grew burning hot. There was a sound of steel clashing in the air. A scythe ripped apart the air before Mathias' eyes and a cloaked figure emerged. It was Death.

The unholy spirit pledged his allegiance to Mathias. Whoever wielded the Crimson Stone wielded Death himself. At Mathias' command, Death simultaneously reaped the souls of a thousand vampires, their mouths agape in silent agony as his scythe tore through their bodies. The reaped souls accumulated into his gemstone and Mathias felt his power grow. He absorbed the essence of every single soul and he felt the Crimson Stone grow. His nails grew longer and harder. He slashed the earth mercilessly and felt the ground crumble. Mathias felt his canines grow. They touched his bottom lip now, sharp as a blade. There was suddenly a strange sensation in his back. Mathias began to scream. 2 wings sprouted from his back, and spread majestically. They covered the moonlight and shrouded the land in darkness. He embraced his new power. Mathias was now a vampire.

He left the battlefield and rejoined a worried Leon. Leon was shocked to see his friend who had seemingly returned from battle unscathed while the rest of his squadron was dead. Mathias reassured him that he was fine and that it was the best night he ever spent. With every campaign they went on, they slayed more and more vampires, adding on to Mathias' power, unbeknowest to Leon. One day, Mathias came upon a grand castle in the woods. Though he entered the forest during the day, the area was black as night. He entered the castle and met its owner, a powerful vampire by the name of Walter Bernhard. A proud creature of the dark, he displayed the source of his power to Mathias: the Ebony Stone.

It shone a deep black in the palm of his white hand. He explained to the younger vampire that he had gained so much power, the stone kept his castle in everlasting darkness. He hinted that the castle itself was bonded with his soul. However, Walter was not content with his life. He was bored of living forever, and relieved his boredom with games. One of these games was "Rescue the Hostage." Walter explained the rules with glee. He would send his forces out to a small village and burn it to the ground while taking a few women or children hostage. The village's most courageous men would venture into Walter's castle, challenging his strength for their loved ones. And they would always lose.

Mathias had the perfect solution to remedy Walter's dilemma. He suggested that Walter abduct Leon's bride, Sara Trantoul. He explained that Leon Belmont was a powerful warrior whose strength was second to none. Mathias personally vouched for Leon's skill. Walter was delighted to hear this. With a snap of his fingers, he called forth his minions of the dark, bats, wolves, vampires alike, to wreak havoc on Leon's village. Little did Walter know that he was being deceived by Mathias.

Walter's forces did what they were ordered and abducted Sara. Leon traveled to Walter's castle and defeated every single enemy along the way. He scaled the keep and met Walter face to face. It was a fierce battle, but Leon emerged victorious with the holy Vampire Killer whip. Defeated, Walter used the last of his strength to warp to where Sara was being held captive with the Belmont in close pursuit. He viciously tore apart Sara's chest and ripped out her still beating heart. When Leon arrived, he saw that he was too late. Walter had escaped and his bride had been slaughtered. He held her corpse in his hands and silently wept, cursing out the vampire lord.

Walter had escaped, retreating to a secret room in his castle. He was severely weakened in his fight with Leon. The Ebony Stone was crumbled into dust, destroyed in the previous battle. He could feel the structural integrity of the castle being compromised already. Suddenly, there was a loud ripping sound and Walter felt a heavy pain. Levitating behind him was Death, the spirit reaper in ragged robes, with his scythe halfway through Walter's still breathing chest. Turning away from the horrible sight, his eyes met with Mathias'. Then he understood. Mathias wanted his Ebony Stone, his power. But no, it was gone, destroyed in battle. Mathias Cronqvist took the next best thing: Walter Bernhard's soul.

At his beckon, Death slashed through Walter's black heart and stole his soul. As he collapsed, Mathias displayed the power that he wielded, the power to control Death. The Crimson Stone. It would be the last thing Walter saw before he faded away into history. With the absorption of Walter Bernhard's soul, Mathias Cronqvist became the most powerful vampire in all the world. Leon Belmont broke through the wall, expecting to finish off Walter, only to find his friend and ally Mathias. Confused, he asked him where the vampire lord was and Mathias feigned ignorance. The newly accomplished vampire usurper king simply stated that it was the best night he ever spent.

Leon grew suspicious. This was the same thing that Mathias said the night he returned from the vampire attack unharmed. The Vampire Killer whip reacted strongly in his presence. Leon demanded answers. With pleasure, Mathias told him everything. His vampiric state, the Crimson Stone, his plot against Walter. Every word he uttered, Leon fell deeper into despair. What was happening? His best friend, his confidant. A traitor, committer of the highest treason, the greatest betrayal! At the end of his speech, Mathias offered his hand to Leon. In full confidence, he offered to Leon immortality and great power. The power of the vampire.

However, Leon did not accept. He could not side with evil. For all his life, he had fought for righteousness, for God. Mathias was outraged. But he had lost a dearly loved one, and God deserted him! God couldn't bring back Sara from death! Leon answered that eternal life without the one he loved was meaningless. He would just end up losing himself in time, watching everything change, people being born, dying. It wouldn't be a life at all. Leon understood his pain, his suffering. To lose the person you loved so dearly too soon. But to blame God for taking her, to defy him, to renounce your faith was not the right thing to do! He brandished the vibrant Vampire Killer. Leon accepted his fate, as a warrior of God, to destroy the demon.

Mathias was saddened. He had hoped to rule the world with his best man at his side, but Leon couldn't see it from his perspective. He fought humanity. He would fight for God. Screeching horribly, Mathias shapeshifted into his bat form and fled into the night. That was the last time they would ever see each other, but Leon swore in Sara's name, in the Belmont name, that he and his descendants would hunt Mathias down.

"And that," said a booming voice, "is the tale of Count Dracula Vlad Tepes."


	2. Restless Night

The voice reverberated in the grandiose ceiling arches. They shook as if struck by tremors. It was a large room, but not as large as the others in the mansion. A quiet fire burned in the hearth, illuminating the room a mellow orange and casting shadows along the wall, bringing darkness to life and light, a contrast between the tiger and the raven. Medieval suits of knights past lined the perimeter of the room. But they weren't the only things here that were lost in the pages of time.

"No way!" cried out a young girl, no more than 9 years old. She had eyes as blue as the sea, hair as fair as the harvest fields. "That can't be the end of the story!"

"Now now, Marilyn," chuckled the orator, the storyteller, the master of lore. "There is more to Count Dracula's tale, I assure this to you. However, I believe I've told you enough of the tale tonight." His name was Victor Brauner, a gifted man blessed with the skill of the brush. His talents were especially utilized in painting landscapes, from small, quaint towns to majestic valleys of green. Another talent worthy of mention is his ability to capture human emotion on canvas. Victor Brauner's portraits seemed almost... lifelike.

Marilyn stood up and started to pout. "Why?!" she asked. "Look, it's not even midnight yet! This isn't fair, right Evey?" Marilyn turned to her right.

Sitting next to her was Evelyn, who watched silently. She was also 9 years old, but had a completely different personality. A quiet girl, she preferred to stand by and watch as events unfold whereas Marilyn was headstrong and bold as a warrior. Her hair was a light, creamy brown, her eyes ruby red. Taking note of the question, she simply shrugged and continued to suck on her hard lemon candy.

Marilyn gave an exasperated sigh. "Oh, Eve. Isn't it a little late for you to be eating can- wait a minute," she paused. Then she pointed sharply at Victor. "I'm starting to sound like Daddy!"

Daddy threw his hands up as if surrendering and let out a hearty laugh. Then they all began to laugh, even Evelyn, who giggled with Marilyn as they went up to hug their father. "Mary... Eve..." began Brauner. "Yeeessss, Daddy?" they replied, their eyes staring into his, sapphires and rubies into his emerald. He cleared his throat and said, "You know, girls... Ever since..." Then he stopped.

He held them close and whispered, "...Maybe another time, hmm?" Marilyn frowned and stuck her tongue out. "You're so weird, Daddy!" Brauner smiled and stuck his tongue out right back at her. "I know. But aren't I wonderful, fantastic and amazing as well?" he said with feigned arrogance.

Before the sisters could respond, he promptly picked them up and carried them in his strong arms. He was still a strapping young buck. 28 is nothing! he thought, though grunting a little as he got up. The girls loved to be held. They cheered for their dad as he brought them up to bed.

Brauner tucked his daughters into bed. "Sweet dreams, my loves," he whispered, kissing their foreheads. "Goodnight, Daddy," Marilyn said. "...Goodnight, Daddy," said Evelyn. He blew out the candle with a swift gust of wind, and gently closed the door.

Marilyn stared up into the darkness. "...Hey, Eve?" No reply. "Eve?" She turned to her side.

"...Yes, Mary?"

"How come you're so quiet all the time?"

"...I don't know."

"Oh. Hey, are you tired yet?"

"...No."

"Wanna do some drawing?"

"...Okay."

Marilyn got out of bed and expertly maneuvered through the darkness. She knew where everything was. She could navigate her bedroom blindfolded and backwards. Evelyn got out too and made her way to the big table. 2 ghosts, weaving in between tables, chairs and drawers with their nightgowns flowing like a river behind them. Marilyn found the big drawer and began to go through its contents.

"I've got the matches!" She struck it against the wall and lit the candle.

"...I've got the paper." There was a faint rustling.

"I've got the sharpener!"

"...I've got the pencils."

With some of their father's art supplies, they sat down at the table and began to draw. Flowers, houses, cats, rainbows, butterflies, unicorns, anything and everything was thought of. "We'll color them tomorrow!" declared Marilyn. "...I'm getting a little tired..." yawned Evelyn.

Marilyn procured a small knife and began to whittle away the nub that was once a sharp point.

"Can't let Daddy see we were using his stuff," mumbled Marilyn. She yawned. "Come on, Eve. Help out?" She turned to her sister.

She was already asleep. Evelyn's eyes were closed, her chest expanding and contracting slightly with every tired breath she drew. "Oh, Eve..." chided Marilyn. She continued to whittle away at the pencils, gradually falling deeper into fatigue, giving in to her body's internal clock. As the candlelight faded, she too fell into sweet slumber.

Brauner gazed across the room. Sitting up in bed, he stared at the portrait on the other side of the room, into soft amethyst eyes, silk-woven red dress and straight hair, dark brown like bittersweet chocolate. "Lady in Red." He missed her. Brauner turned to his side. He missed her body, delicate yet strong. He missed her touch upon his cheek, her lips against his. He missed the sweet but sorrowful symphony that was her voice, serenading into the silence. But he could only reminisce. The tortured soul of an artist, he thought to himself. Brauner sighed and placed his head on the pillow.

"Goodnight, Lenore."

* * *

Brauner tried to sleep, but he simply couldn't. It was one of those restless nights, one of those nights when he had to take his mind off his late wife. He crept out of bed and made off down the hall. He checked on the girls.

Of course, they weren't in bed, he thought. As skillful as his daughters, Brauner tiptoed through the room, looking for them. He stopped, and listened. A faint snore. In the direction of the big table. He chuckled to himself. I bet they were drawing again. He made his way over.

Sure enough, there they were. Heads on the table, hands on the pencils. Daddy picked up Marilyn and carried her gently to her bed, easing the pencil and knife out of her small hands. He went back and carried Evelyn back as well. Every few nights, he would have trouble sleeping, and they would always be here. You two are the reason I can't sleep! he thought. But he knew that wasn't true. They were the reason he was still a sane and loving man. Marilyn began to stir.

"...Mmm. Daddy..."

"Shhh. It's okay."

"...I'm sorry. We couldn't sleep."

"It's alright. Neither could I. And now you can. Go to sleep now, okay?"

"...Okay. Goodnight, Daddy."

"I love you, Mary."

"...I love you, too..."

She dozed off. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and checked on Evelyn. She was sleeping like an angel. He kissed her on the forehead too. Brauner went to collect his supplies. He looked at what they were drawing.

The usual. Flowers, rainbows, cats. He went through the papers. A house. With a family outside. 4 people holding hands. Daddy, Mommy, Mary, Eve. All smiling. Brauner organized it and took it with him.

He retreated to the balcony. It was about 2 in the morning, the witching hours. He struck a match and lit a few candles, and prepared canvas on an easel. He sat down, wet his brush, and began to paint. The moon seemed particularly inspiring to him tonight. Many stars were out, radiant and glorious. Lenore would probably say something about them twinkling in his eyes. That's what I was supposed to say to her! he thought. He sighed and continued to paint. There was too much on his mind. The mansion was a financial drain, sapping away all his wealth. His paintings weren't selling as much as they used to. He couldn't support his daughters with the way things were going. He would have to move, take his daughters to America, where there was supposedly a better life.

Damn it! he cursed in his mind. The arts just weren't valued anymore. Now there's new technology. People want automobiles and machines, not high priced drawings. He sat back on his seat and looked out into the night sky. Brauner felt lost, immersed in the dark. He wished he could embrace it all. That Count Dracula, I bet he didn't have to worry about losing his home to the government, he thought. All he had to worry about was drinking blood, avoiding sunlight and fighting off Belmonts.

Oh. I guess maybe it wasn't so nice. Ha, I should stop worrying. It'll be alright. Suddenly, there was a white flash. A shooting star? It flew by so fast, a streak through the blackness. It shot across the sky again in the opposite direction. A bird? He went inside to retrieve his spyglass. When he returned, it was gone. He searched the sky with his spyglass but to no avail. He pocketed it and noticed something on the ground. It was a feather.

So it was a bird. But it shone so brightly. Brauner shrugged. He'd heard of stranger things. He decided to paint it into the canvas. While texturing the soft feathers on it, he cut his finger with the knife. He winced in slight pain and withdrew his hands. He took a cloth and applied pressure and went back to look at his painting. There was a small drop of red in the black, trickling down from the wing of the dove. Brauner sat in his seat and gave up. I'd better try to get some sleep, he thought. It was about 5 now. A little red in the night sky won't be too troublesome.

Brauner closed his eyes and tried not to think too much. Eventually, he was graced with euphoric slumber.


	3. Memorial

When he awoke a few hours later, his eyes met with something strange. His painting was different. Drastically different. The dove flying across the black sky now flew straight ahead into a red sunrise. What, he thought. The painting changed according to the hours of the day and the dove simply changed course. Brauner scratched his head and stared inquisitively. The blood. Could it have seeped through and altered it? But it couldn't be. Black was the strongest of all colors. And it couldn't explain why the bird was facing a different direction. Hmm. This must be one of those "miracles" he'd been hearing about in town. The other day, he'd seen the local botanist grow blue roses! That certainly garnered more attention and he was sure to make a large profit.

Brauner thought about showcasing his art. "Come see the living art!" he would announce. "What's that?" they would ask. "Well, when I was painting the night sky, a bird flew across the sky and I painted it. When I awoke the next morning, it is now this sunrise you see and the bird is now flying into it!" he would explain. There would be silence. Then one by one, "Boooo. Liar!" The biggest street urchin would lead his gang and chant "Brauner's a shitmouth!" then start hurling rocks, manure, rotten fruit.

He sighed. This was one of those impossible miracles too great to believe. No good would come of it. Brauner reached into his robe and glanced at his pocketwatch. 5 to 10. He had slept for nearly 5 hours, much more than he normally did on nights like those. He wondered how he could have enough energy to make it through the days, how he possessed the strength to carry on his late wife's legacy, how he could keep raising the girls the right way.

That's right! The girls would be up by now and were probably waiting for him to come down. Brauner left his lofty overlook and went to check on his daughters.

"Hurry, Eve! I need eggs over here!"

"...Coming."

The girls were making breakfast, specifically an apology breakfast. This was the third time they were caught up after dark using Daddy's art supplies, the third breakfast. Brauner's favorite foods to eat in the morning were blueberry muffins. Marilyn went out to the bakery in the early hours to get the first baker's dozen. Evelyn prepared the coffee and ham to start Daddy's day off right. However, they forgot to make eggs and scrambled to finish in time.

Evelyn heard footsteps approaching. I hope he has to go to the bathroom first, she thought. Marilyn said nervously, "I hope he needs to go to the bathroom." Evelyn smiled and cracked an egg.

"What's so funny?"

"Mmm. Nothing."

The yolk seared and sizzled on the hot metal pan. Though under 10, Evelyn was a proficient cook. In under a minute, she fried 2 eggs and slipped them onto the platter. Marilyn brought over the muffins and poured the coffee.

They heard a faint flushing sound and giggled. They had just enough time to set the table. Brauner went into the kitchen.

"I hope you washed your hands, Daddy!" said Marilyn, wagging a finger.

"Haha, don't worry," he said. He showed them his white hands. "Clean as a whistle."

"Well, we just wanted to say we're sorry," Marilyn said, putting on her sad face. She nudged Evelyn. She put on an even sadder face.

"We're reeeaaalllyyy reeeaaalllyyy sorry," they said in unison.

Brauner sighed. "Girls, it's alright. I wasn't supposed to be up either, so what kind of example was I setting for you? Let's just forget about it, okay?" They nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for the breakfast, ladies," he said, bowing.

"You're very welcome, Daddy. Eat up!" The incomplete, yet happy family ate together in harmony. At the table, they talked about their dreams, what they drew last night and bantered on for a bit. Brauner trumped his daughters with his story about living art. Still at a young and naïve age, they believed every word of their father, placing faith in his story without doubt. This made him smile. This gave him hope.

Throughout the rest of the day, Brauner spent time playing with his children. They were already growing up so fast. Had it really been 9 years since her passing? That tragic and blessed night when his girls were born. Lenore had given all her energy, her life to new life. He remembered holding her hand, feeling her pulse coursing through her veins. She was breathing heavily, refusing to give up. The doctor on hand was delivering. Marilyn was out first, and by then Lenore was already exhausted. But Evelyn was still in the womb, waiting to be introduced to the world.

He remembered the look in her eyes. It told him that she wasn't going to make it. No matter what happened next, she wasn't going to make it. She was going to die. In their minds, they made a secret pact. Lenore promised that she was going to give her all, and push. Her baby would come out healthy and live a full life with her sister. Brauner promised that he was going to give his all, and pray. Pray for the strength to carry on, to raise his daughters, to see them through childhood, adolescence, adulthood. It was an unspoken understanding. He remembered the scream. He could see her soul slowly escaping out through her mouth. She would pause, and take a deep breath, slowly sucking it back in. Then scream again. The most painful tug-of-war. The brink of life and death. Finally, the doctor told them the baby was out. Both girls were safe. He remembered the sigh of relief.

But it wasn't Lenore he heard. It was himself. He looked back at his wife. Her eyes were closed, her face wet with perspiration, her messy hair draped across her face. At that moment, he felt his heart begin decay. The doctor checked for vital signs, but found none and pronounced her dead. Brauner ordered the doctor to take his newborns away for a small time and excused himself for a few minutes alone with his deceased wife. He wept heavily. He wasn't afraid to cry. He had just lost the person he loved most in the world. Without her, Brauner had no reason to get up in the morning, no reason to live.

Staring at her face, he held her hands. He remembered. He did have a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to live. Lenore was gone, but her legacy lives on in her daughters. Brauner said a final goodbye and left the room, searching for his daughters. The doctor was checking them to make sure they were healthy, and sure enough, they were. He left them in Brauner's care as he went to prepare Lenore's body for transportation. Brauner looked at his baby girls. They were so beautiful.

"Daddy, does this flower look nice?" Brauner stopped thinking and turned to his left. He was back in the small field of green outside the mansion. Marilyn was holding a yellow rose to his face. She repeated the question with a slightly impatient tone.

"Yes, it looks lovely," he smiled. "It's a yellow rose, it seems." Marilyn sat down next to him.

"Daddy, how come you're crying?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh, it's just the pollen, dear. It makes my eyes itchy, you see." He turned to his right and saw Evelyn returning. She carried a red rose in her hands. "Ahh, the red rose. My personal favorite."

Evelyn smiled. Marilyn frowned. "But Daddy, mine is prettier, right?"

Oh no, picking sides, Brauner thought to himself. He compromised and grabbed both of his girls. He pulled them into a great embrace and whispered into their ears, "They're simply beautiful."


	4. Fettuccine Alfredo

Before they knew it, the day was already lost, but it was well spent. It was almost 7 now and the girls were exhausted from their mini excursion, napping away in bed. Brauner was preparing dinner. His specialty was fettuccine alfredo. Marilyn referred to it as "creamy cheese pasta." It was one of those dishes that Lenore taught him how to make. She was more proficient in the culinary arts, though. He sighed and thought. She would have made an excellent mother. Her daughters would never be able to taste her cooking; only a fraction as good as it would taste.

"Daddy, what are you making? We're hungry." They were already out of bed, standing behind them in their elegant nightgowns.

Brauner continued stirring. "Hmm... Mushroom cake." Marilyn had a disgusted look. "Eww! Why, Daddy!"

Evelyn snuck up behind him and poked him. "...It's not really mushroom cake, Mary." Brauner put down his cooking and poked her back.

"I know..." admitted Marilyn."It's just... You know I hate mushrooms! Blech!" She stuck out her tongue.

Brauner frowned. "Young lady, what did I say about using that word?"

"Umm... It's not acceptable," she recited.

"That's right. We only use that word when the situation calls for it, which is not very often. What do we use instead?"

"...I dislike mushrooms."

Daddy smiled. "That's my little lady. Come, it's time for..." he started. Then in a deep and dramatic voice, "creamy cheese pasta!"

They all laughed and went to the dinner table, smiles throughout their meal. The girls ate ravenously partly because they were hungry, but it was really because after supper, was storytime.

* * *

20 minutes later, after the dishes were washed and dried, Brauner returned to the study. His daughters sat on the floor in front of the grand chair, awaiting his seating. He proudly approached his throne and sat down. His royal subjects were ready for his tale.

"Hmm, allow me continue my tale of the infamous Count Dracula." Brauner cleared his throat and told the story.

Now that Mathias had Walter's soul in his grasp, he was the most powerful vampire in the world. However, he was not safe from harm, as the Belmont clan took an oath to hunt him down with every single one of their descendants. He went into hiding around the Wallachia province. There, he began his plan to wage war against God.

Using his new powers, he summoned a castle from the depths of Hell and shrouded the land in darkness, devoid of any and all sunlight. There, Mathias resided and began to build his army. He welcomed humans and heathens alike, any who chose to defy God or had abandoned the light. He even bestowed upon a select few the forbidden art of Devil Forgery. Mathias trained them in the dark arts, teaching alchemy to the chosen ones. Devil Forgery allowed them to create demons, monsters, all kinds of creatures of the dark that pledged their eternal loyalty to their creator, much like Death. Castle Dracula became a haven, a sanctuary for the outcast, the shunned, the damned.

However, not all of Mathias' doings were evil. While in town, disguised as a regular young man, he chanced upon an odd event one night. There was a large crowd gathered around outside a house. He transformed into a small bat and flew in through a window and watched from a ledge. Inside were a young lady and an old man on a bed. The old man appeared to be very ill and was on the verge of death. The young lady mixed and mashed several herbs and made a broth. She fed the old man, tipping the bowl over his mouth, letting the golden soup slide down his throat.

She comforted him, holding his frail hands in her own light and soft hands. When he finished his soup, she laid him down to rest and whispered a few prayers. She then exited the house. The townspeople were silent, waiting for her to speak. She said to them that the village elder would live, and he would recover from his illness. They all cheered and praised her for her healing skills. Mathias was intrigued, and infatuated. This woman had the life of that man in her hands, and gave it back to him. Her face was so kind, her hands so gentle, her voice so strong. Her name was Lisa.

Lisa was a special kind of person to Mathias. She was different from the other humans. Generous, thoughtful and always caring. He retreated to his castle and thought. No matter how hard he tried, she wouldn't leave his mind. Trapped for all eternity. Mathias couldn't concentrate on his vengeance. He needed to see her. He left his castle and found a place to stay in town.

The majority of Mathias' time was spent following Lisa around and seeing what she did. Lisa was a miracle worker. She saved so many lives, old and young from illness. One day, he finally approached her. Though a vampire, Mathias had no desire to bite her. Instead, he sought to claim her heart the old-fashioned way.

Every night, he would spend time with her, and she would gradually open up to him. Mathias began to realize something. Lisa was the reincarnation of Elisabeth. All her beauty, flawless personality and traits, passed on to a different body, a different time. After a substantial number of late night dates, he decided to confess. Mathias told her about his vampiric condition, why he couldn't walk in the daylight, why she was so special to him.

Instead of rebuffing him, she embraced him. She graced his cold cheek with the side of her hand and kissed him. He was confused. He thought she would find him repulsive, an undead creature rejected by God. Lisa smiled and explained to him that she didn't care who or what he was. She cared that he loved her. She cared that he would be so honest with her, risking his identity, compromising his own safety just to be with her. No one made her feel so special in the world before. And on that special moonlit night, they consummated their love.


	5. Prince of Darkness

"So they had sex?" interrupted Marilyn.

Brauner sighed and answered her question. "Yes, my dear. They had sex. May I continue?" She nodded.

Soon after the special night, they were secretly married though an official priest was not present. Mathias took Lisa away to live in his magnificent castle where he would indulge her with tales of courage and spoils of war. They were so happy together. Eventually, Lisa found out she was pregnant. She carried the child of the lord darkness in her womb. Everything was simply perfect for them. Mathias somehow forgets his hatred and rage against God and humanity. He found something he lost long ago: love. Maybe it wasn't hate and anger that was spurning him to wander Transylvania for hundreds of years, searching for vengeance. Maybe he was just looking for the love he lost. He was going to have a family now. No time for building up armies and waging war. War was the thing that separated him from Elisabeth. War would never come before family.

They had a boy. His name was Adrian Farenheights Tepes, taking on his mother's maiden name. However, he was no ordinary child. Because Mathias was a vampire and Lisa was a human, their union resulted in the mixture of dead and living blood. Adrian was born a dhampir, half vampire and half human. Unlike his father, he possessed an immunity to sunlight and was able to walk in broad daylight. In short, he inherited all the strengths of Mathias and none of his weaknesses. Despite his power and half vampiric state, he was not a monster. He also inherited Lisa's human traits. Adrian was naturally a quiet and reserved boy, preferring not to fight and always treating everyone with respect and kindness. In fact, Adrian was not too different from another young boy some 400 years ago.

Days became weeks, then months, then years. They were a happy family and always spent time together. Mathias trained his son in the dark arts and sought to foster his innate powers. Lisa used her husband's vast wealth to open up a shop where she would procure and sell medicines to people who needed healing. One day, she was out of herbal ingredients and needed to return to town to buy them. Adrian came along to escort his mother. He was still a young boy then, no more than 9 years old. As they ventured into town, they noticed a change in atmosphere. It seemed almost hostile.

They kept walking, ignoring the people staring and pointing at them. Lisa heard whispers of "vampire," "evil," "witchcraft." Because she spent years in Mathias' castle, her skin was very pale along with Adrian's. They also dressed in black, which caused more suspicion from the townspeople. When they arrived at the herbal store, 2 strong men seized them and bounded their hands. Though fighting fiercely, Adrian was still just a boy, and no match for the grown men. Mother and child were brought to the center of town where a large congregation was gathered.

The new village elder presided over the trial. He was the son of the old village elder who had lived years more than he should due to Lisa's medicine and he was grateful. However, the townspeople jeered at him and warned him of her witchcraft potions. Pressured by his people, he apologized to Lisa and condemned her to death by crucifixion. The crowd cheered and Adrian stared at his mother in horror. Her face was calm. No fear in her eyes. She told him to be strong like she was.

The strongest men in town were ordered to set up a cross to where Lisa would be nailed. She was brought over, resigned to her fate. Adrian called out for his father, to come save them. But he was asleep during the day. They were all alone. Adrian shut his eyes tightly and refused to watch. However, he couldn't block out the noise. At first, he could only hear the sound of hammering, that sickening sound of metal driving into flesh. Then he began to hear his mother, softly wincing in pain and sobbing quietly. She wasn't crying because of the pain. Lisa wept because she would never see her son grow up, she would never see her husband again, she would never take another breath on this earth. When the crucifixion was complete, the priests said prayers for her and ordered the next crucifixion: Adrian's.

Evelyn began to cry. "...Daddy. This story is too sad." Brauner stopped and looked at his daughters. They were both crying.

"I'm sorry, girls. Should I stop?" he asked with regret.

They thought and replied, "...No. We just have to be strong. Like Lisa, right?"

Brauner smiled a tired smile and said, "Yes, like Lisa." He continued the story.

Adrian wasn't about to be nailed to a cross for the entire town to ridicule. He remembered his lessons in transformational arts from Mathias and shapeshifted into a bat. Free from his bonds, he flew away, far, far away from the scene. The townspeople angrily chased after him, but he led them on a false trail away from town. He returned to the cross and went to his mother. Lisa was still alive. Just barely. Tears ran down his face and he hugged her tightly. She was very weak and breathed erratically. Adrian angrily told her that when he grew up, he would avenge her. He would kill everyone who did this to her.

She said no. Adrian was shocked. But why? They wrongly crucified you! Lisa defended the humans and began to share with him her last words. She said do not hate humans. If you cannot live with them, then at least do them no harm. For theirs is already a hard lot. Adrian couldn't understand what she meant. All he saw was the people they knew for years betrayed them and killed his mother. Lisa told him that in time, he would see truth in her words. She also told Adrian to tell his father that she would love him for all eternity. As she was about to pass, Adrian transformed into a bat and flew up to his mother's face. She kissed him tenderly on his head and died. He fled from the cross and went back to Castle Dracula to relay the news to his father.

Mathias was outraged. He had lost the second love of his life. All the love and peace that had been building up in him was crushed and replaced with hate and rage. He summoned Death with his Crimson Stone and ordered him to slaughter every single life in the town. The robed spectre nodded and began to reap their souls. Adrian didn't stop him. He wanted the humans to suffer for what they did to his mother. At the same time, there was a little voice in his mind telling him that this wasn't what his mother wanted. He neglected to tell his father Lisa's last words, the gravity of the trauma being too great for him to bear. Mathias reverted to his old state, filled with hatred for humanity and God. He cast aside his given name and changed it to Dracula Vlad Tepes, taking on Lisa's maiden name as a reminder for his cause.


End file.
